Chapter 3 It's You

Ding!

A notification popped up on Conor's phone. "Your bank account just processed a transaction at 13:49. Current balance..."

It climbed from thousands, to hundreds of thousands, then millions, and finally settled at four million and four hundred thousand!

Over and over, Conor reviewed the numbers, and when he confirmed the total was indeed 4.4 million, elation surged through him.

Moments before, he was viewed as a loser.

Now, he was a millionaire.

The thrill was indescribable.

Utterly exhilarating!

Once the transaction was verified, Conor said goodbye to Erick and left the real estate office by himself.

He pondered briefly and decided that his parents should hear the news first; he planned to wire the money to them.

The matter of the house could wait.

Explaining the sudden wealth and a new house purchase to his parents would be complicated.

Once his decision was firm, Conor pulled out his phone and dialed his mother, Laura Sanderson.

"Conor, did you manage to buy the house?"

"Uh... Mom, there's something I need to discuss. I'm not getting married."

"You're not getting married?"

Laura's response was a mix of confusion and exasperation. "Why make such a rash decision abruptly? You're not a child anymore, Conor. Why can't you handle things more maturely?"

"Mom, please, hear me out. Today's events weren't my fault."

"So, what happened?"

"It's quite a story..."

"Keep it brief!"

"Okay, here's what happened..."

Conor provided a thorough recount of the day's events to his mom.

"They have no shame! If marrying her doesn't feel right, then don't. I will find you a better match soon."

"Mom, let's not rush things. By the way, I've sent back the four hundred and forty thousand you and Dad contributed. You guys should get a new place. The basement isn't good for your joints."

"We don't need that money. You're living in the city, and your daily expenses must be high. I'll transfer the money back to your card-"

"No need. I have enough money. Mom, I've got to run now, so I'm hanging up. Go and find a better place soon..." Hearing his mom suggest sending the money back, Conor quickly made an excuse to end the call.

He could tell from her voice that Laura was hesitant to make the house purchase.

He considered moving his parents to the city soon.

With a house under his name and more than four million in funds, acquiring another property wasn't a big deal.

Standing by the roadside, Conor felt incredibly excited thinking about the four million and four hundred thousand sitting in his bank account.

From just a few thousand to over four million overnight - it was surreal!

"I've got money now. There's no reason to keep living like I'm broke. First thing - I'm buying myself some proper clothes," Conor muttered to himself as he glanced down at his worn, budget clothes.

He had skimped on new clothes previously, saving for the wedding and Kaiden's hobbies.

His current outfit had been in rotation for years, the soles of his shoes nearly worn through.

Now that he had cut ties with that clingy family and had a hefty sum sitting in his account, it was only natural that he wanted to dress well and carry himself with pride.

With that decision, Conor flagged down a taxi and directed it to Chasey EON Mall.

Chasey EON Mall, the largest shopping hub in Chasey and the broader southeastern area, had been standing for twenty years.

This place offered a wide variety of branded goods.

It was a popular haunt for influencers too.

Each day, flocks of influencer girls gathered to snap photos in front of high-end brand stores.

At times, they even argued over who got the best photo spot.

Once at the mall, Conor headed straight to the fifth floor, captivated by the vast selection of clothing and designer labels.

Conor wandered through the store aisles, feeling overwhelmed and excited, unsure of what to purchase.

Unlike typical stores where salespeople might greet or call out to shoppers, the atmosphere here was subdued and refined.

The staff understood that calling over someone who couldn't afford the merchandise was pointless.

After roaming for a while, Conor was drawn to a designer brand store.

His decision was influenced by his boss's preference for the brand's suits.

Figuring that what was good for his boss should work for him, Conor stepped inside.

"Sir, this suit is our newest model, usually priced at fifty-two thousand. Today, I can offer it for forty-eight thousand."

"That's way out of my budget. I'll pass." With that, a middle-aged shopper hurried out of the store.

He had only come to gauge the prices of these well-known luxury brands and was astounded by the cost of a simple suit.

That was why he made a swift exit.

Watching the man leave, Kyra Lewis felt a twinge of disappointment.

"It's alright, Kyra. You're still new, so you might not have heard, but it's actually pretty common for our store to only hit double-digit sales in a whole month," said a senior employee nearby with a reassuring smile. "Even though Chasey is considered a big city, most people here don't earn that much. There really aren't many who can afford luxury like this."

"Understood," Kyra replied, sighing. She had high hopes when she moved to Chasey, only to realize that she might have been overly optimistic.

Just then, she heard that someone opened the shop's door and entered.

Even though she had no idea who it was, she reminded herself that as a salesperson, determination was part of the job.

Putting on her best sales smile, she approached the new customer.

Upon seeing that the new shopper was Conor, she was momentarily surprised.

At that very moment, Conor was just as surprised.

A second later, both of them spoke at once, their voices overlapping. "It's you?"